67FB coil spring replacement tips??

[mikec35]

Anyone have any tips to replace coil springs. I just replaced the drivers side and it was tough.. Going to do passenger side tomorrow. I got an inner spring compressor but it is still tough because the angle of the spring vs. the angle of the spring perch... any tips will be appreciated! thx...

 

[180 Out]

Put the compressor in upside down, so the end that's threaded is at the top and the end with the bolt head is inside the coil. It's harder to turn the bolt this way -- you've got to stick an open end wrench between the coils -- but easier overall. Also, try to have the hooks as far apart as you can get them when you start. This gives you the ability to squeeze the coil to the maximum.

 

[DissFigured]

Wow, that will work but it will take hours and be a huge pain.
I went to home depot and bought 4 pipe fittings for 50 cents a piece that fit around the inner screw and put it in right side up. I was able to compress the spring easily in about two minutes.

The pipe fittings will cause the compression to begin way before the compressor even begins to touch the upper control arm.

 

[ttoney]

High Tech. No, really, that is a great idea. I always do it the hard way.

 

[67CoupeDriva]

Another tip, if you're not doing it already -- do it with the car on the ground, then jack it up. You'll get some "free" compression

 

[zookeeper]

You may have already done it, but I always remove the tower support (or whatever it's called) that covers the spring from the tire side. I had my springs in and out 4 times in one day when I lowered the car and it's a bunch easier without that cover in the way.

 

[DissFigured]

While we are discussing springs, someone fill me in on this.
I went through the hell of learning on the job as far as changing my front suspension last month. If you are bored, here is the thread: (and by the way if anyone ever needs help w/ this, I can now do it in about 6 hours)
http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=587372

Anyway, several people warned me that compressing these springs could kill me.
How?

Is it if you compress em too much, they explode or soething or what? I just heard over and over that they could take my head off and I never figured out the dnager. As a result of hearing all of that, I treated them like live mines but I still don't see what could have gone wrong.

 

[Rusty67]

The potential energy stored in a compressed coil spring is almost mind blowing. Lets put it this way, if that spring compressor slips and the coil kicks out and hits you.... game over.

 

[67CoupeDriva]

Take the spring out of a push-button pen and squeeze it. Let it slip out of your fingers and watch how far it flies. Now imagine that with the coil spring you just took out, and any part of your anatomy getting in the way.